Gail Hoar

The leaves of the Bili Tree, under which all things of importance take place in Bougoumene, frame the upper portion of this photo. In the distance, the Chari River edges the sand that is its river bottom during the rainy season. At this time, the Chari rises to just to below the compound wall seen on the right. After the rains begin to fall, the river stretches nearly a mile across to reach the tree line on its western shore. The hills of the Cameroons are barely visible in the far distance.

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